Takurō Matsunaga

Career Toshiba Brave Lupus In February 2021, the Top League club Toshiba Brave Lupus, based in Fuchū, Tokyo, signed seven players from university level, including Matsunaga and New Zealand-born lock Warner Dearns.

Matsunaga made his professional debut for Toshiba Brave Lupus in round six of the 2021 Top League season against the Honda Heat, coming on as a substitute for Matt Todd in the 72nd minute. In the teams following match, Matsunaga scored his first points for Toshiba, kicking a conversion goal in the 81st minute against the Munakata Sanix Blues after replacing fly-half Jack Stratton in the 76th minute.

In 2022, Matsunaga almost the entire season at fullback, scoring three tries in fifteen games. Toward the end of the season, Matsunaga covered the fly-half position, scoring 23 points from the tee in the teams final three games. Earlier in the season, goal-kicking duties being distributed between Tom Taylor, Hayata Nakao, and Takahiro Ogawa. including a great counter-attacking try against the Shizuoka Blue Revs after breaking through the oppositions midfield. Matsunaga scored 70 points in total, with a goal-kicking success rate of 71%. Matsunaga had kicked just ten points from the tee for Toshiba, all coming in their round thirteen clash against the Kobe Steelers which ended in a 40-all draw. Toward the latter end of the season, Matsunaga had been one of the star players in the backline as the team finished second on the table following a 39-point win over the Shizuoka Blue Revs. On 26 May 2024 Matsunaga started at fullback for Toshiba as they defeated the Saitama Wild Knights 24–20 in the final to become Japanese rugby champions for the first time in 14 years.

At the end of the season, Matsunaga had graced the cover of issue No. 627 of the Rugby Magazine.

In the second round of the 2024–25 season, Matsunaga took over Toshiba's kicking duties from Richie Mo'unga. He converted eight of nine kicks and scored a try to earn Player of the Match. Although his overall goal kicking success-rate declined slightly from the previous season, Matsunaga was Toshiba's top scorer in 2024–25. The team went on to win their second Japanese title, defeating the Kubota Spears 18–13 in the final.

International career In January 2018, Matsunaga was called up to the Japan U20 training squad ahead of their 2018 World Rugby U20 Championship campaign. Ultimately Matsunaga was not in the final squad for the tournament.

In October 2024, Matsunaga was named in a 39-man training squad for Japan's 2024 Autumn Internationals. Matsunaga made his international debut against New Zealand on 26 October 2024 at International Stadium Yokohama. Scoring a conversion goal in the 69th minute, following a try via Opeti Helu, Japan lost 19–64. Matsunaga played in Japan's remaining three Tests in the Autumn International window, scoring five points. It was their first win against a tier one team since the 2019 Rugby World Cup, and their first win against Wales since 2013. Following the Test against Wales, Matsunaga made his international return months later against Hong Kong for the Japan XV team, kicking four conversion goals.

After an appearance for Japan XV in the June International Window against the Māori All Blacks, Scoring his second Test try, Matsunaga's Japan defeated Italy in their first round match of the Nations Championship, 27–10, their equal-record score against them. Matsunaga started at fullback in all three of Japan's Nations Championship Tests. Matsunaga's home prefecture.

Career statistics Club

Awards and honours Toshiba Brave Lupus Japan Rugby League One: 2023–24, 2024–25

Individual

Japan Rugby League One Best XV: 2024–25